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Secrets for smart dining in Washington It’s lunchtime in downtown Washington. How do you know where to go for a delicious meal at a fair price? Or better yet, how to avoid a bad one? An economist can help. Here are Tyler Cowen’s tips for eating well in the District and its suburbs.
Cowen suggests that one of the keys to nabbing a great meal "is to hit restaurants in the 'sweet spot' of their cycle of rise and fall." Little Serow, a new Thai restaurant in Dupont Circle from chef Johnny Monis, is one spot that Cowen is says is peaking right now.
Scott Suchman
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For The Washington Post
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Indian restaurant Rasika West End is another establishment that Cowen says is in its prime right now. At any point in time, Cowen writes, "Washington probably has five to 10 excellent restaurants — they just don’t last very long at their highest levels of quality."
Alex Baldinger
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The Washington Post
Pennsylvania Avenue restaurant Fiola is a destination Cowen worries might be past its prime. "I had an excellent meal at Fiola a few months ago, but I’ve already heard reports of quality decline. I’ll continue to monitor the situation," he writes. Pictured here, the restaurant's Tuscan tomato soup with a buffalo mozzarella toast.
Astrid Riecken
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For The Washington Post
Cowen says that it pays to be an early bird if you want to experience a restaurant at its best. He recommends hitting a popular lunch spot at 11:30 or a popular dinner spot at 5:30. Cowen writes, "Oyamel, for one, is a much better restaurant in its off hours." Pictured here is the Penn Quarter restaurant's tostada de chapulines, which is made with Oaxacan grasshoppers and guacamole.
Rebecca D'Angelo
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For The Washington Post
Richard Sandoval's 14th Street restaurant El Centro D.F. is another eatery that Cowen suggests steering clear of during prime dining times. "Kitchen breakdown during peak hours is a common complaint" at this place, he writes. Pictured here are the huevos rancheros, Jaliscos enchiladas, Mexican chocolate waffles and ceviche from the Mexican restaurant's brunch menu.
James Buck
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The Washington Post
"Choosing the best ethnic food downtown is tougher, as high rents and tight space keep out the kinds of gems we find so frequently in the Virginia and Maryland suburbs," Cowen writes. One place in the District he does enjoy is Fast Gourmet at Lowest Best Price Gas, an Uruguyan sandwich shop at the corner of 14th and W streets that, believe it or not, is attached to a gas station.
James M. Thresher
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For The Washington Post
Cowen's favorite offering at Fast Gourmet is the chivito, a sandwich with beef, ham, mozzarella and escabeche.
James M. Thresher
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For The Washington Post
Cowen writes, "A reigning principle of good ethnic dining is to look for clusters of restaurants of the same kind, as we find with Vietnamese restaurants in Falls Church or the numerous Korean places in Annandale. The D.C. cluster of Ethiopian restaurants on Ninth Street qualifies (I’ve enjoyed every single place in that row). But it is hard to find comparable examples around town." Pictured here is a dish called doro wot from Etete's on 9th Street.
Mark Finkenstaedt
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For The Washington Post
"Counterintuitively to many foodies, some of the better expensive meals downtown can be found at the old standards, such as the Palm or Prime Rib; they rely on regulars rather than on trendiness," Cowen writes. Here, the Palm is pictured on a busy weekday during lunch time.
Michael Williamson
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The Washington Post
Cowen writes, "Sometimes D.C. residents dream of going to the suburbs by Metro for first-rate ethnic food, but that’s harder than you might think. The restaurants near the closer Metro stops (think Bethesda or Clarendon) tend to be the most like ethnic food in D.C., with some quality expensive places, such as the Mediterranean food at Cava, but overall those sites tend toward the mainstream." Pictured here is Cava's cypriot grilled cheese.
James M. Thresher
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For The Washington Post
Though he has not yet dined there himself, Cowen says "I have been seeing the right kind of stellar reviews for Mintwood Place."
Matt McClain
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For The Washington Post
Palena is one restaurant that Cowen says had a "moment of glory" that has now passed. "Through information technology, we have speeded up the cycle of the rise and fall of a restaurant. Once these places become popular, their obsession with quality slacks off," Cowen writes. A burger from Palena is pictured here.
Tim Carmen
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The Washington Post
Another tip from Cowen: "Find places in their golden opening, three to six month periods, noting that the first few weeks may involve working out some kinks in the kitchen. Figure most of these places will not stay excellent for more than a year." Central Michel Richard, whose fried chicken bucket is pictured here, is another outpost that Cowen says is no longer in top form.
Deb Lindsey
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For The Washington Post
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